GAS5, a key regulator of advanced prostate cancer development and drug-resistance

In a nutshell

A pilot study investigating how a newly discovered molecule (GAS5) is associated with the development and drug resistance of prostate cancer.

Why we funded it

GAS5 is a molecule called a long non coding RNA. This type of molecule has only been discovered recently and there is now lots of work going on to find out what role(s) they play in the cell. We know that GAS5 is able to prevent harmful cell growth and is also missing in castrate-resistant prostate cancer cells. This grant will let the researcher investigate the link between these two facts and find out how important the loss of GAS5 is in the progression to advanced prostate cancer. If the work confirms the link between the loss of GAS5 and aggressive forms of prostate cancer then GAS5 may be a good therapeutic target and future work could focus of ways to boost GAS5 levels in cells.